The invention relates generally to slider-hinge doors/ship-board magazines that contain ammunition. In particular, this invention relates to a ready service magazine that facilitates proximate access to ammunition while complying with relevant safety requirements.
The United States Navy has commissioned two class prototypes for a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) intended for close shore fire support. In particular, the lead ships for these classes are the steel planing monohull U.S.S. Freedom (LCS-1) designed by Lockheed Martin, and the aluminum trimaran U.S.S. Independence (LCS-2) designed by General Dynamics. Both classes can be reconfigured with interchangeable weapons modules for select plug-and-fight missions. Follow-on ships in the Freedom class include U.S.S. Fort Worth (LCS-3), U.S.S. Milwaukee (LCS-5) and U.S.S. Detroit (LCS-7). Follow-on ships in the Independence class include U.S.S. Coronado (LCS-4), U.S.S. Jackson (LCS-6) and U.S.S. Montgomery (LCS-8).
The Gun Mission Module (GMM) as an example for the surface warfare module package includes two turret-mounted, axis-stabilized chain guns that can fire up to 200 rounds per minute of 30×173 mm ammunition, and can hold 800 rounds. Uniformed Navy personnel operate in highly confined spaces, including below deck. The GMM chain gun protrudes above deck from a module cover, below which personnel can supply ammunition from storage containers. Conventionally, such containers are disposed in a location requiring such ammunition either to be linked together absent adequate platform and/or to be carried to the combat firing platform some significant distance from its stowage location.